Employee benefits in Romania: gift vouchers, corporate sports, spas & sabbaticals

Salaries and working conditions are not the only subject employers and employees negotiate during a job interview nowadays. Amid a growing shortage of specialists, the benefits that companies in Romania offer for the loyalty of their employees are more and more diverse and creative.

Meal vouchers, medical insurance to private clinics, company telephone or a service car are no longer enough to attract and retain the best employees in Romania. Beginning with unconventional office spaces and themed days at the office and continuing with paid professional courses, performance bonuses and team-buildings abroad, companies seek to offer complex benefits packages to the team.

Sports, relaxation, hobbies

Employers take into account, first and foremost, the welfare of employees at work, therefore a very common practice is to offer subscriptions to sports, massage or spa centers. Most of the modern office buildings have already incorporated spaces for relaxation or for sports, including pools and running tracks, where employees can relax before, during or after a busy day of work. Gift vouchers have become very popular in recent years, as well as themed days at the office: fruits or sweets day, casual dressing day, parties on certain occasions - Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas, or presents for employees' kids on Children’s Day. Many companies also ink deals with different stores, restaurants, and cafes to offer low prices for their employees. In other cases, companies pay courses for their employees' hobbies: design, painting, or acting. Some companies even join Some companies sponsor their staff in joining competitions such as corporate tennis or soccer tournaments, yachting competitions at the Black Sea (corporate sailing competition in Romania pictured above), bike races, skydiving sessions or help organize company marathon teams. And employers' offer usually matches the wishes of their employees. According to a study published by BenefitOnline.ro platform, the most desired benefits of the Romanian employees are gift or shopping vouchers, followed by paid transport, private pensions, sports & wellness center passes, and medical insurances. Paid vacations in Romania are also in great demand lately, due to the tax-free holiday vouchers introduced by the state, while flexible hours and the possibility of working from home are a constant nowadays when negotiating for a new job. According to the same study, companies pay monthly RON 150 to RON 750 (about EUR 30 to EUR 160) for extra-salary benefits. The industries which offer the most expensive benefits are IT, production, financial services, and retail. The most expensive benefit offered through the online platform was a birth package worth RON 4,950 (about EUR 1,000).